The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-11-26
THE SOCIAL SWIM.
THE FIREMEN's BALL. 1900 PRESENT.
The Largest Social Gathering Ever Held In
the City.-Other Even's.

Choking III the uemOn plhFe,
And some helpless form appears
In that furnace OF despair,
"Saye! oh, save!" the people cry.
But who plucks the human brandt
Who will do the deed or diey
IT'S the iiremen Of the land!
Then give them honor, give them fame!
A health TO hands that fight the flame.
Yes, the brave boys win their aurels where
death and devastation are struggling Tor Thu
mastery against them. "Peace eho hath he
victories no less renowned, +" thought the FREi
TRADER scribe as he stood looking over I'M
great dancing floor OF the Armory and gazec
upon the sea OF forms and faces before him
II was 10 o'clock. The Grand March hat
been finished, and 400 people were on thu
dancing floor, and, with the immense throng
looking on, the aggregate of those present
could not have fallen short OF 1000 souls,-s
noble tribute by Ottawa to the volunteer guar
dians of her homes; a Thanksgiving festival
recognizing both the men and their deeds!
The guests began arriving at o'clock and
and by half past that hour at least 800 persons
had passed the door, and the throng rapidly
increased The grand march took place at
$50, and when the orchestra clashed their
notes upon the air, the gallant Perkins, As
master Of cerem ONES, took his position at the
head of the column and the long procession
began its evolutions. Up and down the great
hall youth and beauty trod with light and JOY
GUS feet, and when the effort was over the
cheer that burst forth amply repaid for the
task OF preparation.
But the crowd. Such jumblng together
OF social elements was never seen before in
La Sale county. The great and the humble,
the rich and the poor, the gaudy and the plain
everybody was there. glance across the
room'in any direction showed faces OF many
climes, Germans, Englishmen, lrishmen,
Frenchmcn, Hebrews, Scandinavans, - all
commingled in one homogeneous American
crowd of merrymakcrs. The toilets Of the
ladies were as varied % the widest dream OF
ii. Rider Haggard would hrve us imagine
and some were triumphs of the dressmaker's
art The colors-don't mention It, some were
white, some cream, buff, brown, pink, blue,
yellow, green ,red-Greet Rainbow, thou vert
many times duplicated! And the gentlemen
Oh, there were Prince.Alberts, getaways,
sacques, frocks and peajackets, with pants
and vest OF kinds and colors enough to start
a dime museum.
As TO the dancing, it was revcr ending, but
it afforded TO many Of the guests more pleas
ure as spectators than as participants. The
floor was crowded from $50 to $3.50 o'clock
and such an opportunity for observing how
different people dance is seldom offered.
Some went through the figures in sort of
don't-care- whether school keeps. or-not style |
and acted as II the thing were more work
than play. Others danced in sad and sor-
rowful fashion, as if expecting rich uncle
to die before morning, Another fraction
were amateurs, very precise, and thought
everyone was looking at them. Then there
was the prim dancer, dancing 30 primly pre-
else she seemed to be in torture; and the gal
and finding out who wore corns; and the
dreamy couple, the slow, the beginners-in
short, the dancers of all nations and tempera-
ments.
The decorations, of flags and bunting, were
elaborate and artistic.
The suppcrs, served at the Clifton, Pier
gue's and Cark's, did credit to those caterers.
When Noah Perkins stood in the centre of
The orchestra stand and folded his arms upon
his manly breast, he looked like Napoleon af-
tory.
Gus Kneussl was great in the quadrille.
That balance all" made many a fair ones
heart to flutter But we didn't know before
hat he was Scotch!
Otto Gondolf looked the picture of manly
courage. He wore frizzes and some medals.
Louis Hess was there. He didn't say horse
not once.
Tom MacKinlay wandered about aimlcssly
and despondently, with lady's wrap on his
arm 1t was his 43d birthday and nobody
had mentioned it, He felt slighted.
Bill Duncan wore a superb moss-covered |
boquet and broad smile-ani some other |
clothing, Of course
The l4th Annual was success.
GOLDEN WEDDING.
MI anu WTe JOscpH W DOW, W L ymOulu, |
Wisconsin, on the 23d. inst, celebrated their |
golden wedding" or Goth anniversary OF
their welded life. They mad for a number OF |
years been prominent ana honored residents |
Of Ottawa, Mr.. Dow having at one time been
deputy sheriff and postmaster of Ottawa,
FROM 1866 TO 1869. Afterwards he was head of
the banking firm OF Dow IL Tilson in Mar
settles, and on the dissolution Of that firm,
about ten years ago, removed TO Plymouth,
Wis, and established bank there which Is
still under his management in successful OPP
Grafton. The FREE TRADER takes pleasure in
wishing the venerable and honored couple
much joy on the occasion Of so interesting an
anniversary.
number Of the young lady and gentleman
friends of Miss Mona Savage, rendered her an
agreeable surprise on Thursday evening
A pleasant card party was the order of the
evening at the Clifton parlors on Thanksgiv.
ing evening. Euchre of course.
Joe Futterer was surprised by his many
friends on Thursday evening, and the crowd
was so large that 1t had to adjourn to Shaefer's
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